Improvement



c. MOE'LLER.

Lmp-Wick vRaiserl Patented Feb NO.v 14,248.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OHRISTOPHER MOELLER, OF NEWARK, NEV JERSEY.

rMPRovEMENT HN wloK-HoLDERs FOR ARGAND' LAMPs.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 14,248, dated February 12, 1856.

T0 all` whom it may concern- Be it known that I, OHRISTOPHER MOELLER, of Newark, in the count yof EsseX and State of New Jersey, have invented an Improvement in YVick-Holders fo'rArgand Lamps; and Ido declal'e that the following is a full, clear, and eXact description of the principle or character Which distinguishes it from all other things before known, and of the usual manner of making, mudifying, and using the saine,'

reference being had to the anne-Xed d rawings,

in Which- Figure 1 represents a perspeotive view of the Wick-holder and tube; Fig. 2, a Vertical .middle section vthrough Fig. 1; Fig. 3, alside View of the Wich-holder.

My invention consists in anl im provementin holding" the Wick in that kind of Argand lainps in Which a cil'cular Wck is used and the Wich; holder is attached to and raised and lowered by .rack and pinion or screw Without turning the Wich-holder round in its ascent and descent. Various devices have been used in such lamps for holding the Wick to the holder-such as tying' the u'ick upon a collar On the holder, .clasping the Wick by springs upon a core or short cylindrical piece Within the wick, or clasps made to seize the Wich upon the core and eXert Spring-pressure upon the Wich'as the clasps are drawn down Within the Wicktube.

Myinvention is an'improvement upon these Inodes, as it is more simple, efficaoious, and economical, and is described as folloWs:l The Wich-holder consists of a number of elastic fingers a a, more or less according to the size of the wick, Which are attached to or proceed from the ferrule b, fixed to the upper end of the rack (Z. These fingers have tWo curve's e e', the upper one of which c' presses against the in ner tube k, and by Virtue of its springor elasticity causes the extrexnity of the finger to press the Wick firmly against' the outer tube k' during the rise and fall of the Wich-holder.

rllhe Wick is put upon this Wick-holder With great facility by compressing,` the fingers, in-

serting them Within the end of the Wick, and

then suffering the fingers to expand by their elasticity. The Wick is thus held securely and the friction of the Wick and fingers upon the tubes is such that the rack cannot fall by any sudden jarring Of the lamp and draW the Wick down With it. lThis lnode of raising and lowering' the Wickl is'lvery desirable forv lamps for railfroad-cars, but has been attended With much trouble ll'eretofore on account of the occasional falling of the Wick fronl sudden shocks, a difliculty completely renledied by my invention.

I do not claini a spring-clasp for enlbracing I the Wicks of lamps; but 

